As it evolved from undergarments in the 19th century, T-shirt has become a part of the uniform for many organisations today. Ready-made t-shirts are commonly available for you to add on your logos to portray your corporate identity. Fully custom corporate t-shirts are getting more popular and reflect your unique organisational culture.
To create suitable t-shirt for your corporate use, there are three important areas to consider.
In Top 3 Things to Consider When Creating Your Corporate T-shirt, Part 1, we shared how to design your corporate t-shirt by displaying your creativity on the collar, sleeves and front of t-shirt to portray the right image of your organisation.
In this second part of a three-part series, we focus on how to choose the right fabric.
Part 2: How to choose the right fabric for your corporate t-shirts?
Cotton
As a natural fiber, cotton produces soft, breathable and highly absorbent fabrics. Coupled with hypoallergenic characteristic, cotton fabric is great for sensitive skin and offers maximum comfort.
Cotton t-shirts are suitable for both indoors and outdoors use.
Worn indoors, cotton t-shirt is a good choice as a corporate t-shirt or crew t-shirt for events such as seminars, exhibitions and concerts.
Left: 100% fully combed cotton corporate polo t-shirt for Government Technology Agency
Right: Cotton round neck t-shirt for National Youth Council
If the indoor environment is hot, cotton fabric is most appropriate. Cotton kitchen crew uniforms help to beat the heat and keep crew refresh, as they absorb sweat better than polyester.
For outdoor low impact activities like a charity walk or a trade fair, cotton fabric is still a viable option. Lightweight cotton t-shirt can keep you cool outdoor.
A few types of 100% cotton fabrics are available through different knitting techniques. Interlock and single jersey are suitable for printed tees while honeycomb and pique fabrics are suitable for polo tees.
Caring tips: To prolong the life span of cotton t-shirt, limit exposure to the sun is recommended. Wash cotton t-shirt with mild detergent in cold water. Do not bleach. Warm iron helps t-shirt to retain its shape.
Polyester
Made from synthetic fiber, polyester t-shirt is very durable. It can undergo multiple washes and retain its colour longer than cotton t-shirt., Polyester t-shirt repels moisture, given its quick dry nature and keeps wearer comfortable and dry for the whole day.
It is most suitable for high impact sports activities and outdoor regular use, especially in a customer-facing environment, such as catering and delivery services. Easily washed and dried, polyester t-shirt is wrinkle-resistant and retains its shape better than cotton t-shirt, keeping wearer well-groomed.
Left: Raglan sleeves t-shirt in their corporate colours designed for EY Walk for Rice 2017
Right: Cheery bright red t-shirt for Geylang Methodist School Primary National Day Celebration 2017
Polyester t-shirt is an alternative to cotton t-shirt for those who work in an air-conditioned environment. With little ironing required, polyester t-shirt allows wearer to maintain a professional appearance hassle-free.
Left: Service crew mandarin collar t-shirt designed for Golden Village
Right: Polo t-shirt produced for the International Affairs team at National Youth Council
A few types of polyester fabrics with different textures are available. Choose among micro fiber, micro mini mesh, cool breeze mini mesh and micro flat knit fabrics to keep you cool and energised.
Caring tips: Wash polyester t-shirt with mild detergent in cold water. Pre-rinse t-shirt in clean water and add white vinegar in laundry when washing to reduce the odour resulted from perspirations and bacteria. Do not bleach. Dry in airy space, and iron in medium heat.
Cotton-polyester
Cotton-polyester fabric is produced by blending cotton and polyester fibers. T-shirts made of cotton-polyester fabrics allow wearer to have the best of both worlds – comfort and wrinkle-resistant.
Be it indoor or outdoor use, blended fabric is apt for producing uniforms.
Corporate organisations tend to prefer cotton-polyester mesh where cotton as the inner surface absorbs moisture and polyester as the outer surface let the professionals stay smart-looking. T-shirts made from such fabrics are suitable for indoor activities like training and seminars and outdoor low impact activities like charity walk.
Left: Polo t-shirt with placket and inner collar pipping in their corporate colour produced for
SPRING Singapore
Right: Chic black polo t-shirt with embroidered logo produced for the new talents at EY
A construction team who works long hours under the hot sun or a renovation team that work indoors without air-condition would love the blended t-shirts that keep them neat and comfortable.
Comfy and smart-looking polo t-shirt made of blended fabrics for the teams at London Construction (left) and Wen Yi Plasterceil Decor (right)
Various blended fabrics are available for them in different ratio of cotton and polyester blend, and different weaving techniques. Chief value cotton (CVC) honeycomb has a higher proportion of cotton while polyester-cotton pique and polyester-cotton interlock has a greater proportion of polyester.
Caring tips: Wash cotton-polyester t-shirts with mild detergent in cold water. Machine wash and dry possible. Do not bleach. Dry in airy space, and iron in medium heat.
Choose the right fabric and create a corporate t-shirt that your team will love to wear. Contact your t-shirt designer for more information.
End of Part II